First step towards heroism

Tony gradually regained consciousness, bringing him back to the bustling reality of the elemental chamber. A warm smile graced his face as he observed the chamber, which was already teeming with mages, both young and old. A sense of purpose filled the room as they prepared to hone their mystical abilities.

Tony knew the rules; he had to leave by morning as part of the agreement he made with the chamber's keeper.

Approaching the elder figure in charge, Tony greeted him with respect, noting that Mr. Frank was well into his fifties, at the very least.

"Good morning, Tony. How was your night?" Mr. Frank inquired in a kind manner.

"It was great, sorry I stayed too long," Tony replied, a tinge of guilt in his voice.

"It's alright; everyone deserves a good night's rest sometimes," Frank reassured him, understanding the importance of recuperation.

However, a sudden interruption broke the peaceful ambiance. A thunderous voice echoed from behind, belonging to a vigorous figure.

"Hey, old man, why's my spot dirty?" the voice demanded, filled with authority and annoyance.

"Oh, sorry, sir. I'll get it cleaned up right away," Mr. Frank assured, his genuine humility shining through as he hurried to retrieve a broom.

Tony felt a pang of sympathy for Mr. Frank, understanding that such situations were all too common for those without magical powers in Tyker.

Exiting the chamber, Tony contemplated how to make the most of his day when a piercing scream cut through the air, jolting him into action.

"Aahh!"

Without hesitation, Tony dashed back inside, only to find Mr. Frank violently tossed against the wall by the imposing figure.

"You're taking far too long; you need to be quicker next time," the imposing figure chided with a tone of impatience.

Tony's anger flared within him. Frank was old enough to be this guy's father. "Hey, why did you have to do that?" Tony interjected.

"And who are you to question me? A cop?" the man retorted, a sinister grin on his face, slowly advancing toward Tony. The other mages instinctively moved away, creating a clearing for the impending confrontation. Derek was notorious in these parts, a troublesome fire mage at grade B level seven.

"I'm not a cop, but I firmly believe you're in the wrong," Tony snapped, his voice laced with determination.

Derek scoffed, his confidence unwavering. "I'll show you what's wrong."

[Warning: Danger Approaching]

[Threat: Derek]

[Derek is a Fire Mage, Grade B Level Seven]

[Motive: He's about to unleash a fire attack on you]

The system's alert sharpened Tony's focus, and he stood ready for what was to come.

Suddenly, the manic Derek unleashed a mid-level flame from his clenched fist, sending it roaring toward Tony. Reacting swiftly, Tony deftly dodged the attack, sidestepping and allowing the flames to crash harmlessly against the wall.

"I don't want to fight with you," Tony attempted to defuse the situation.

Derek's arrogance persisted. "I get to decide that." He sent more fire blasts hurtling toward Tony, who managed to dodge most of them. However, the final one found its mark, striking Tony's chest and sending him crashing against the chamber wall.

"Please, that's enough!" Frank begged as he rushed to Tony's aid, kneeling before the wicked Derek in a desperate plea for mercy.

"Get out of the way," Derek snarled, forcefully pulling the old man aside.

"Hey, kid, I don't care if you're new here. But in this place, I'm in charge," he declared, leaving Tony on all fours, clutching his aching chest, and struggling to catch his breath.

"Fire Skill: Inferno Blast!" Derek's command was a menacing incantation, igniting a more lethal blaze that surged forward with astonishing speed. Tony saw the approaching conflagration and a chilling memory of his prior duel with Flash at the tournament stirred within him.

His resolve hardened, and Tony roared, "Never again! Air Skill: Air Blast!" His voice reverberated with determination as he thrust his fist toward the oncoming inferno. A forceful gust erupted from his palm, like a howling tempest, smothering the flames and propelling Derek with bone-jarring force into the opposite wall.

The entire chamber was plunged into stunned silence. No one had anticipated the magnitude of power that emanated from a seemingly ordinary young man, facing off against a fully grown fire mage. In that moment, the awe in the room was palpable, as everyone watched in anticipation.

"Are you going to put an end to this madness?" Tony demanded, his anger now a raging fire within him.

Derek rose from the ground, his lips tainted with a hint of blood, which he casually wiped away as if it were an insignificant inconvenience.

"You bet I won't!"

With a sinister grin, Derek shouted, "Dragon Breath!" Leaping toward Tony, he unleashed a torrent of fiery energy from his mouth. Tony had no choice but to rely on his physical prowess and single skill to defend himself.

"Air Blast, Double Potential!" Tony replicated his earlier move, but this time, he harnessed the full force of his power, using both hands to create a blast twice as potent. The resulting collision of energies sent a gust of smoke swirling through the chamber, obscuring the two combatants.

"That's enough, you two!" Frank implored, realizing that their battle could potentially damage the chamber.

Undeterred, Derek conjured "Fire Blades," forming two scorching constructs around his arms. He advanced toward Tony, slashing with fiery martial arts moves, displaying an advanced level of speed that made it challenging for Tony to keep up. A powerful kick to Tony's abdomen sent him crashing into the exit door, causing him to roll outside.

[Host Badly Injured]

[Host Has Been Granted OTS]

[OTS Type: Wind Step]

[Allows Host to Move Swiftly]

[Duration: Two Minutes]

Tony found himself accessing a new skill, one that felt eerily familiar – the same skill he had used to save his family from an oncoming truck. He realized he was incredibly fast at that very moment.

"Is that all you've got, young mage?" Derek taunted with a triumphant grin, while more onlookers gathered, their attention now firmly fixed on the battle that had escalated to extraordinary levels.

Summoning his resolve, Tony rose to his feet and assumed a battle-ready stance.

Derek unleashed a relentless onslaught, bellowing, "Dragon Rage, Multiple Counter!" Flame balls with a snake-like form burst forth in every direction, creating a maelstrom of scorching projectiles that would be virtually impossible for an ordinary person to evade.

Unleashing his newfound skill, Tony cried out, "Wind Step!" In a blur of motion, he vanished from his position, moving with incredible swiftness as if he had teleported.

Derek's incredulous voice echoed through the vicinity, "What the…"

His words were abruptly cut short as he was struck by an air blast from behind. Derek crashed to the ground, struggling to get back on his feet, but the fury within him remained unquenched. With seething anger, he launched another fiery assault at Tony. Yet, in a mere moment, Tony was in front of him and then gone, leaving Derek bewildered and attempting to maintain his vigilance.

"Over here!" Tony's voice rang out, luring Derek into a fiery punch. To his chagrin, Tony had vanished yet again.

"Wind Step, Air Blast, Double Potential," Tony whispered as he moved like a blur, sending blasts of air in all directions – left, right, sideways. He was everywhere, a whirlwind of indomitable force. Derek found himself utterly vulnerable, unable to track or defend against Tony's blinding speed. How could you possibly fight against someone you couldn't even see?

[OTS remaining five seconds], The warning flashed in Tony's mind, urging him to act swiftly if he wanted to bring this ferocious confrontation to a decisive end, or risk being overpowered by Derek's relentless rage.

With a calculated retreat, Tony backpedaled briefly before launching himself toward Derek. His fist bore a swirling vortex of pressurized air, a manifestation of his newfound power.

[Three seconds remaining]

[Two seconds...]

In the final second, Tony pinpointed his aim, directing an air-pressured punch at Derek's chest. The impact sent Derek hurtling backward, crashing against a nearby car with blood streaming from his mouth.

[OTS expired]

As the One Time Skill  finally relinquished its extraordinary power, Derek lay unconscious on the ground. A sense of satisfaction washed over Tony. It was deeply gratifying to have stood up to this ruthless bully, although the feeling would have been even sweeter if it had been Flash.

The assembled crowd erupted into applause and cheered Tony's remarkable display of power.

"He's unnatural," remarked the admiring girls, who found themselves suddenly infatuated with him, prompting Tony to blush in response.

Mr. Frank approached him with gratitude, saying, "Thank you very much, son."

"Don't mention it, Mr. Frank. It's my pleasure, and besides, it's a small way to repay the favor you've done for me," Tony responded, his smile lighting up his face.

"If there's any way I can repay you..."

Tony contemplated for a moment before replying, "Well, a nice breakfast would do."

Mr. Frank readily agreed, saying, "Oh sure, come on, let's go to my house."

"Whoa, thanks!" Tony exclaimed, his excitement palpable. For nearly a week, a good meal had been elusive, and the prospect of a satisfying breakfast was a welcome change.

With a spring in his step, Tony followed the old man as they made their way to Mr. Frank's house.